Electronic identification systems are utilized in a number of applications in which verification of personal identity is required, such as to facilitate banking transactions and to permit access to restricted areas. Some of these systems merely read coded information magnetically stored on a plastic wallet-sized card, while more sophisticated systems are designed to provide a positive identification by reading an actual physical recognition pattern which is unique to an individual and then comparing the data derived therefrom with previously-stored data derived from the same pattern source.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,186,378 teaches an electronic identification system in which the palm of an individual's hand is scanned in a predetermined manner by an image-sensing camera, and an image pattern corresponding to the palm print is stored. Recognition data to recognize the palm on subsequent presentations of the palm are abstracted from the image pattern in accordance with the most prominent details. Thus, analysis of the stored picture details is based on two-dimensional pattern aspects of the image.